BALTIMORE _ Federal prosecutors say they have charged Baltimore Police Commissioner Darryl De Sousa with three misdemeanor counts of failing to file federal taxes.
De Sousa, 53, willfully failed to file federal returns for tax years 2013, 2014 and 2015 despite having been a salaried employee of the Police Department in each of those years, federal prosecutors said.
After the charges were announced, De Sousa admitted he did not file federal returns as well as state taxes for the three years. He said he filed taxes for 2016 and received an extension for 2017.
"While there is no excuse for my failure to fulfill my obligations as a citizen and public official, my only explanation is that I failed to sufficiently prioritize my personal affairs," he said in a statement. "Naturally, this is a source of embarrassment for me and I deeply regret any embarrassment it has caused the Police Department and the city of Baltimore. I accept full responsibility."
De Sousa faces as much as one year in prison and a $25,000 fine for each of the three counts. His initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled. A spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office said she could not comment on whether De Sousa was aware the charges were coming or if federal investigators had executed any search warrants in connection to the case.
Greg Tucker, a spokesman for Mayor Catherine Pugh, said De Sousa retains her confidence and she has not asked him to resign. The department normally suspends with pay officers accused of a misdemeanor pending the outcome of the case.
Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle said he didn't have any information about De Sousa being charged. "I know zero about it," he said.
According to charging documents, De Sousa earned $93,104 in 2013, when he is first accused of failing to file taxes. He earned $101,985 in 2014 and $127,089 in 2015.
A spokesman for the state comptroller declined to answer questions about the status of De Sousa's state tax filings.
"We don't discuss an individual's or business' tax status," said Alan Brody, spokesman for the office.
De Sousa was elevated to the top position in the department in January, after Pugh fired his predecessor, former Commissioner Kevin Davis, citing stubbornly high levels of violent crime under Davis' tenure.
A personable commander, De Sousa easily won official confirmation to the commissioner position on a 14-1 vote by the Baltimore City Council _ without debate _ in late February. He is the first commissioner to come up through the ranks of the department since Frederick H. Bealefeld III, who served from 2007 to 2012. Davis and former commissioner Batts were hired from outside.
During his rise through the department, De Sousa held various leadership roles, mostly in the patrol division. He was made a deputy commander of the Northeast District in 2008, then became the commanding officer of the same district in 2011. In 2012, he was appointed lieutenant colonel overseeing the neighborhood patrol division, then colonel and chief of patrol in 2013.
De Sousa, 53, is a native of New York City but has lived in Baltimore since moving here to attend Morgan State University in 1983. When he was named to the department's top position in January, De Sousa described himself as "a chess player" who has always been focused on the operational side of policing. "Everybody that knows me knows I'm a chess player, and I don't like to be outwitted," De Sousa said.
He currently earns a salary of about $210,000 a year.
Lt. Gene Ryan, president of the local police union, said he couldn't comment on the ongoing case, as he wasn't familiar with "any of the circumstances behind these charges."
"Obviously income taxes are a personal thing," he said. "We'll see how it pans out."
